Environmental Impact of Harvesting Marram

Name: Procurement Process ocds-h6vhtk-077d22
Creator: Historic Environment Scotland
Published: 2026-09-30T09:02:59.000Z
License: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Official notice

Authority: Historic Environment Scotland

ServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition

Sectors: Research & Development (R&D) (73) Delivery: Scotland (UKM64)

Awarded value£81,100published contract · exc. VAT

Awarded 29 Sept 2026no call for competition

Awarded to Boreas Ecology

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Research examining the environmental impacts of harvesting marram in key coastel areas of the Western Isles

CPV: Research services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Lot #1Historic Environment Scotland (HES) intends to award this contract under the…

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) intends to award this contract under the conditions of regulation 33.4.b(ii) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) regulations. HES requires a specialist ecological consultant to continue delivery of an existing multi-year research project assessing the environmental and coastal implications of harvesting marram grass in the Western Isles, and determining whether, and how, marram grass can be harvested sustainably for traditional thatching. The project began in 2022 and is due to conclude in 2030. Four years of the eight-year programme have now been completed, including desktop research, baseline survey work, site selection, permissions, development of the trial methodology and initiation of the first year of cutting trials. The remaining work depends on maintaining consistency in methodology, site knowledge, data interpretation and stakeholder relationships across the full study period. The intention is to put in place a contract to allow completion of the research.

Delivery: Scotland · Western Isles Scotland

73110000 Research services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record · publisher note attached

Procedure method: Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis: CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category: Services
Notice status: Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold: Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type: Direct award — no call for competition
GPA / WTO covered: Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement: No (one-off requirement)
First published: 30 Sept 2026, 10:02 BST
Last source update: 30 Sept 2026, 10:02 BST
Authority reference: HES/C/4382
FTS notice number: 2026/S 000-092180
Classification (CPV): Research services
Delivery area: Scotland (UKM64)
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-077d22 Find a Tender

Why no open competition: The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
Published justification: HES intends to award to the supplier on the basis that competition is absent for technical reasons. Research and data have been gathered over the past 4-5 years by a specialist who is critical in finishing this work based on their research so far.

Publisher note: It should be noted that this VEAT notice is intended to inform the market of the intention to award a contract under Regulation 33.4.b(ii) and whilst the system requires an award date prior to the notice publication for the avoidance of doubt it should be noted that the contract has not been entered into prior to the publication of this notice. NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=844042. (SC Ref:844042)

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics — not a forecast

Awards 1

Awarded value £81,1001 contract exc. VAT

Contracts signed 1latest 29 Sept 2026

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
Boreas EcologySME	—	—	Awarded

Contracts

Contract 092180-2026-HES/C/4382-1 · Boreas EcologySME
Signed
29 Sept 2026
Value
£81,100
Status
active

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Historic Environment Scotland

Contracting authorityNational or federal agency/officeHeritage, Tourism, Conservation, Built Environment Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 1SH [email protected] +44 1316688866

Dispute resolution & review bodies

Edinburgh Sheriff CourtReview body Edinburgh

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Boreas EcologyAwarded supplier Loch Fleet View, Skelbo Street, Dornoch, Scotland, IV25 3QQ +44 7775897877

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.